Extreme Body Modification By McBain in Culture Mon Jul 28, 2003 at 02:06:00 AM EST Tags: Focus On... (all tags)
	Warning: this story contains disturbing, graphical and un-worksafe links. Click them with caution. Superficial body modification has become, to a certain extent, acceptable and mainstream. While tattoos and body piercings were once markings of outsiders and special subcultures, celebrities and the public now display them as the latest fashion accessory (although they can still damage your employment prospects). It is clear that such modifications have become commodified and are no longer regarded as deviant, but merely as another consumer item. However many subcultures still exist that take the idea of body modification to extremes. Genital removal and limb amputation are examples of the hardcore, permanent body modification that members of these subcultures aspire to. These practices go far beyond the bounds of what society deems as acceptable body modification. While the mainstream may view this behaviour with revulsion and bafflement, it raises the interesting question of what is and what is not acceptable body modification in today's liberal society.

Nullification A nullo [WORK-UNSAFE, DISTURBING LINK] ( 2) is a man who chooses to have his genitalia, both testicles and penis, removed for aesthetic and sexual purposes. It is an extreme body modification of the highest order. If an ordinary man was nullified, it would be unsurprising if they became extremely depressed or tried to commit suicide. Male identity is strongly linked to primary sexual features. Additionally, the testosterone produced by the testicles has a powerful influence on male behaviour, regulating moods and providing libido. In this [Warning: disturbing link] confronting interview, a 26 year old man describes how he came to be a nullo. His story is a disturbing tale of masochism and DIY surgery but the man is obviously pleased with the outcome. Although the interview may be a fake, such DIY operations are not uncommon or impossible; for example, this equipment was designed for exactly that purpose. There are many different reasons that a man may be wish to remove their genitalia. Excessive libido. Castration has been used as a punishment for sex offenders. Some men are simply born with an extremely high libido, forcing to masturbate excessively and causing marital stress. Chronic testicle pain. Religion and culture. Eunuchs have often held crucial roles in various societies. Eunuchs were used to protect harems in Arabic and Asian countries; in some cases their proximity to the rulers gave them great power. Castration was common in 17th and 18th century Italy, used to produce the famous castrati, valued for their high-pitched singing voice. The Hijras of Pakistan and India are examples of contemporary culturally accepted castration. Calm. A commonly reported result of castration is a Zen-like calm. On the other hand, a lack of testosterone can cause mood swings and depression. Testosterone patches can stabilise the mood (as well as restoring libido). Fetishes. S&M fantasies often revolve around the utter domination of a partner. Nullo fantasies involve the cooking and consumption of testicles, nonconsensual castration and other domination fantasies. Transgenderism. The removal of male sexual features is a major step towards assuming a female appearance. In this case they are not technically nullos. Nullification. A "true" nullo does not wish to take on a feminine appearance like transgenders do, they merely seek the removal of the entire male genitalia for the "smooth" appearance. Limb Amputation and Body Dysmorphic Disorder Limb amputation is another extreme body modification, also of the highest order. Limbs are large, crucial parts of the body that are necessary for everyday living. To have a limb removed will cause a major disability that will permanently hinder an individuality's mobility or hand skills. Psychiatrists believe that limb amputation is not a sexual fetish or psychosis but a symptom of body dysmorphic disorder, a crippling, but largely unheard of and undiscussed, mental disorder related to Obssessive Compulsive Disorder. BDD sufferers obsess about minor flaws or imagined defects, usually involving the head and face. It can lead to social phobia and reclusion as sufferers avoid contact with others to hide their imagined deformities. Sufferers feel that their bodies just aren't "right", usually due to a particular feature. This may be a facial or body feature, even a limb. They often attempt to get surgery done to "correct" the feature, up to and including amputation. If surgery is not available, they may attempt it themselves. This puts surgeons in a difficult position. If they do not perform the operation, the BDD sufferer may be so obsessed with the offending limb or body feature that they may end up performing dangerous surgery upon themselves, which could lead to death. This is the fascinating case of identical twins who had the arm from one amputated and attached to the other. Similarly, they used the tip of one's ring finger to extend the other's ring finger. Other body modifications Trepannation is a practice dating back to neolithic times of surgically opening a hole in the skull. This is believed to be evidence of early surgical practice to relieve pressure after cranial fractures. It may also have been done by shamans to induce hallucinations. Suspension involves embedding hooks into the flesh and hanging people. It is not a permanent body modification, but is both painful and spectacular. Transgendered people have a conflict between their gender identity and physical appearance. Many wish to resolve this via operations upon their sexual features. Corsets are used to create an exaggeratedly miniscule waist. They were commonly used in Europe until the 20th century. Branding is the process of burning the skin to mark it with images or words, just like tattooing. Another category of "body modifier" are self-mutilators, who may cut and scar themselves repeatedly. This can be a result of psychiatrics disorder such as depression or borderline personality disorder. Conclusion Extreme body modification, while seeming unnecessary, painful and dangerous, appeals to a surpising number of people. Body modifiers desire to change their body so strongly that they perform painful, dangerous and irreversible procedures upon themselves often without the support or knowledge of others. The reasons may be varied and strange, but they are always real and never trivial - few people perform major surgery upon themselves simply upon a whim. Modern society prides itself on it's tolerance and diversity. Most people have no problem accepting others with differences, as long as those differences resulted from forces beyond their control, such as genetics, accidents or diseases. Insulting racial minorities and the disabled is considered unacceptable and immoral, and rightly so. Yet it is clear that we have much more difficulty coming to terms with others who wish to make themselves different of their own accord. Is this a double standard? A person wheelchair-bound because they amputated their own legs should hardly be given the same sympathy and respect as a similar accident victim. People who modify their body so they are unable to function in regular society should be made aware of the damage they are going to do to themselves and their family, friends and loved ones. But in cases where the person does themselves and others no disabling injury, should society be so quick to judge and condemn? In either case, it is an important and current moral and social issue. Tattooing and piercing have [PDF] unprecedented popularity in western society, so it's reasonable to expect that future society may feature even more bizarre and extreme body modification. We enter an age in which genetic technology, digital/neuronal interfaces, advanced plastic surgery and even nanotechnology could mean that the human form becomes more diverse than ever. In a few decades, people may look at back at today's extreme body modifiers and see them as pioneers. Modifications which seemly bizarre and extreme to us today could be commodified and made into consumer items in the future world. And perhaps society needs people like nullos and self-amputees to remind us that beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.

Poll

Acceptable body modification? None 25% Circumcision 9% Tattoos 15% Facial piercings 1% Body piercings 10% Cosmetic surgery 15% Genital modification 6% Limb amputation (Yeah, Baby!) 15% Votes: 132 Results | Other Polls

Related Links

body modification nullo 2 confrontin g interview this equipment different reasons punishment castrati Hijras Limb amputation body dysmorphic disorder difficult position This Trepannati on Suspension Transgende red operations Corsets Branding unpreceden ted popularity Also by McBain